Journal box lid



J. L. MOHUN JOURNAL BOX LID Aug. 15, 1933.

Filed Oct. 20, 1931 INYENTOR John L.Mohun BY ATTRNEY Patented Aug. 15,1933

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOURNAL BOX LID John L. Mohun, Omaha, Nebr, Application October 20, 1931. Serial No. 569,899

13 Claims. (01'. 30.3--47) This invention relates to. journal boxes for railis hingedly connected to the journal box by a way cars, and particularly to a spring-actuated lid therefor,

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved spring-actuated journal box lid of si le and sturdy construction which will be easy to assemble and to p e- A further obj ct i o pr v de a li of he or said type which will embody housing means for the spring and parts adjacent thereto.

Journal box lids which are in general use at the present time require special, and often expensive tools to effect. their assembly with the boxes. Assembly of the, same without such tools is an awkward and a difficult usually re quiring two operators, and resulting in much loss of time and frequently damage to the lids. Th

present invention provides a lid requiring no tools whatever for its application, and which may be assembled by a single operator.

In the usual type of pressed steel journal box lid, the spring and hinge lug on the box are ex, posed to dust and foreign matter, which. dust and foreign matter accumulate on or about these parts, and drop into the journal box when the lid is opened, and ultimately reach the journal.

This invention comprises a structure wherein the spring and hinge lug are covered or housed so as to prevent the aforementioned dust and foreign matter from falling into the box when thelid is opened.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a fragmental sectional view of a journal box with a.v lid embodying the present invention applied thereto, the view being taken on the line'I-.-I.ofFig. 2; Fig. 2 is a front view of the box, with the spring hood par.- tially broken away; Fig. '3 is a fragmental transverse vertical sectional view of a journal box with a lid embodying a modified form ofthe present invention, applied thereto; Fig. 4 is a front ole; vation of the spring-actuating'means'of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view of the lid on the line V-V of Fig. 2; and Fig; .6 is a View similar to Fig. 1, on a reduced scale, and with the hood shown in open position.

Referring in detail to the .drawing, like parts being described by like reference characters :on the several figures thereof, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figs. .1, 2, 5 and 6, a journal box 1 is provided with an orificed hinge lug 2, having .a cam shaped surface 3. A lid 4, formed preferably of sheet steel, is provided with a pair of hinge eyes 5, integrally formed on its upper'end, one-at each sideof the lug, and thelid pin 6, which extends through the orifice in the. journal box lug 2 and the eyes 5. The side and bottom edges of the lid are inwardly flanged in the usual manner, as indicated at 7,an d tongues 8 and 9 are integrally formed on the upper ends of the side flanges so as to hold the pin in place. In Fig. 2,-the tongue 8 is shown in closed position, and the tongue 9 is shown in bent open position to perrnit insertion ofthe pin, after which the tongue 9 is bent back similar to. the tongue 8. The lid is reinforced by corrugations 10, and depressions 11 are formed in the central portion of the same for a purpose hereinafter disclosed.

For resiliently holding the lid in open and closed positions, a. spring 12 is provided. The spring has a pair of loops 13, a pair of inner arms 14, extending upwardly from the loops and connected at their tops by a central portion 15,

and a pair of outer arms 16 extending. in approximately the same direction from the axis of the loops as the inner arms and of a slightly greater. length-than the inner arms. The ends 17 of the arms 16 are turned over to provide curved bearing surfaces for slidably engaging the inner surface of am enclosing hood 18, hereinafter more fully described. The loops 13 rest in the depressions 11, and the spring is secured to the lid 4 by a plate 19 which is passed through the loops incontact therewith, and is fastened to the lid by rivets :29. The plate 19 is slightly c r ed to c n orm w t he sh f h l op and is of such size with relation thereto as to prevent the spring from swinging over out of t rm u ward x end n p s A anti-frictionfroller ;21 is mounted on the connecting portion lfi of the spring arms 14, the roller being adapted to bear against, and ride or roll .omthe cam-shaped surface 3 of the lug 2.

The hood 18 comprises a substantially boxshaped structure with ears -22 integrally formed at the upper ends of its side members. The hood is ,of such width, that the ears 22.e xtend between the lid hinge eyes 5 and the lug 2, and the pin 6 extends through an orifice in each ,of the hood ears 22, and thereby pivotally engages the hood with the lug 2. The hood is of such size and shape as to completely house the spring 12 and to extend over the top of the lug 2. In the preferred embodiment the hood is slightly pressed out at its central part 25 so as to provide a curved surface against which the ends 17 of the spring. may slide when the hood is being closed over the lid, thereby affording greater ease in the closingoperation.

To assemble the lid, the same is held in position with its hinge eyes aligned with the orifice in the lug, and the hoodis held in position with its ears likewise aligned, and the pin is passed through the lug and the eyes of the lid and the orifices in the hood ears, the hood, during this time, being open and the spring expanded offering no resistance to the assembling operation, as shown in Fig. 6. After the pin has been inserted, the hood is forced down over the spring, contracting the same and completely housing it. It will be apparent that the roller 21 in this closed position will bear against the cam surface 3 of the lug 2, and the ends 17 of the spring will bear against the upper portion of the hood 18, at points on a line which is at a greater distance from a line through the bearing points of the loops 13 than the distance from the last said line to the center line of the pin 6, to effectually hold the hood 18 in its closed position on the lid and to resiliently hold the lid in closed position, or when the lid is opened, to resiliently hold the same in open position. It will also be apparent that the closing of the'hood over the spring con-' stitutes a simple action, requiring no tools whatever, and may be accomplished by merely thrusting the same into the desired closed position, with either the hand or foot.

The modified form of lid disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4 is substantially the same as the preferred form hereinbefore described, except that in the latter case, the ends 23 of the spring 12a are inwardly turned and rollers 24 are mounted thereon to reduce friction between the ends of the spring and the inner surface of the hood when the hood being'closed on the lid to energize the spring. Here the hood is not pressed out in the manner denoted at 25, Fig. 1, the rollers 24 affording sufiicient freedom from friction. Also in the modified form the plate 19d is provided with tongues 26 which extend upwardly and forwardly so as to better secure the spring in position.

While there has been described specific embodiments of the instant invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many and various changes and modifications may be made thereto Without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it will be understood that all and any such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims are contemplated as a part of the instant invention.

Where in the claims such terms as hinge, fulcrum or the like are employed with reference to relative positions "of points 'of'engagement of the spring and the hinge connection of the member 18, such terms will be understood to'refer to the axis or center line of the hinged connection of said member. 1

The construction of the present invention is especially advantageous in that the journal box lid fully meets the requirementsfor use in connection with American Railway Associations journal box, and also in that it fully meets the Associations specification for a journal box lid.

The invention claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: w a

1. In a journal box construction, the combination, with a journal box, of a lid hinged thereto; a spring having a portion engaging said lid and a second portion engaging said box; and a member hinged to said boxengaging a third portion of said spring, the hinge of said member being disposed between the points of engagement of said first and third mentioned portions.

2. In a journal box construction, the combination, With a journal box, of a lid hinged thereto; a spring having a loop engaging said lid and a portion extending from the loop engaging said box; and a member hinged to said box engaging another portion of said spring extending from the loop in substantially the same direction as said first mentioned portion, the hinge of said member being disposed between the points of engagement of said loop and said second mentioned portion.

3. In a journal box construction, the combination, with a journal box, of a lid hinged thereto; a spring having a pair of loops engaging said lid, a pair of connected arms extending from said loops and engaging said box and a second pair of arms extending from said loops in substantially the same direction as the first pair of arms; and a member hinged to said box engaging said second pair of arms, the hinge of said member being disposed between the points of engagement of said loops and said second mentioned pair of arms.

l. In a journal box construction, the combination, with a journal box, of a lid hingedly connected thereto; a spring having a loop engaging said lid, an arm extending from said loop and engaging said box and a second arm extending from said loop; a roller mounted on the end of said second arm; and a member hinged to said box and engaging said roller, the hinge of said member being disposed between the points of engagement of said loop and said roller.

5. In combination with a journal box having a hinge lug formed on the exterior thereof with a cam surface; a lid hingedly connected to said lug; a spring engaging the lid and having an arm extending upwardly engaging the cam surface of the lug and an arm extending in the general direction of the first said arm; and a member hingedly connected to the journal box, and engaging the last said arm for holding the spring under tension, the hinge of said member being disposed between the first and last mentioned points of engagement of said spring.

6. In combination with a journal box having a lid hinged thereto, a spring having'a portion engaging said lid, a second portion extending from the first mentioned portion engaging said box,

and a third portion extending from the first mentioned portion in the general direction of the second portion; and a lever-like member mounted to normally move with the lid and adapted for opening and closing hinged movement relative to the lid, engaging the third portion of .said spring and provided with a depression, said third portion being adapted to engage said member in said depression when said member is in open position relative to the lid, and said depression being adapted to enhance free relative sliding movement between said third portion and said member duringclosing movement of the member relative to the lid, said member being movable to closed position to engage and hold said spring under tension, the points of engagement of the first and third said spring portions being on opposite sides of the hinge of said member when said member is in closed position relative to the lid.

'7. A journal box including an open box-like structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring for yieldingly holding said lid closed, engaging said lid and said boxlike structure; and a member hingedly connected with said box-like structure to normally move with said lid and adapted for independent hinge movement relative to said lid, said member being arranged to engage said spring and act, when independently .moved, to energize and deener gize said spring, said spring engagement with the box-like structure being normally between said other two engagements of the spring, whereby said member will be yieldingly held in normal position by the tension or" said energized spring.

8. A journal box including an open box-like structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring for yieldingly holding said lid closed, having a portion engaging said lid, an arm extending from said portion and engaging said box-like structure, and a second arm extending from said portion in the direction of the first said arm; and a member hingedly connected with said box-like structure to normally move with said lid and adapted for independent hinge movement relative to said lid, said member engaging an end portion of. said second arm, said hinged connection being normally disposed between said two engaged spring portions, and said second arm and momber providing a pair 01" levers adapted for en-- gagement for energizing and deenergizing said spring upon said independent movement of said member, whereby, when energized, said second engaged spring portion will yieldingly force said member toward said lid.

9; A journal box including an open box-like structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring for yieldingly holdingsaid lid closed, having a portion engaging said lid and a second portion engaging said boxlike structure; and a member hingedly connected with said box-like structure to normally move with said lid and adapted for independent hinge movement relative to said lid, for energizing and gaged spring portions, whereby said member will transmit to said lid, when said member is in normal lid-engaged position, tension closing force of said spring, to yieldingly resist opening of said lid.

10. A journal box including an open box-like structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring having a portion engaging said lid for yieldingly holding said lid closed; and a lever-like member having a fulcrum connection with said box-like structure, engaging a second portion of said spring, said fulcrum connection being normally disposed between said engaged spring portions, said member being adapted to normally move with said lid and adapted for independent limited movement relative to said lid about said fulcrum connection in one direction for energizing said spring, said second spring portion moving relative to said lever-like member during said movement about said fulcrum connection, from deenergized position to spring energized normal engaged position of said second portion, where said second portion acts upon said lever-11k member to force said lever-like member in the direction of said lid.

11. A journal box including an open box-lilre structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring having a portion engaging said lid for yieldingly holding said lid closed; and a lever-like member having a fulcrum connection with said box-like structure, engaging a second portion of said spring, said fulcrum connection being normally disposed beindependent tween said first and second spring portions, said member being adapted to normally move with said lid and adapted for independent limited movement relative to said lid about said fulcrum connection in one direction for energizing said spring, said second spring portion moving relative to said lever-like member, during said independent movement about said fulcrum connection, from deenergized position to spring energized normal position of said second tion, and a third portion of said spring operably engaging said box-like structure, said second and third portions acting in opposite directicns when said spring is energized, whereby said. lever-like member is yieldingly forced in the dection or: said lid and said lid is yieldingly held in closed position.

12. A journal box including an open box-like structure, and a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a having a portion engaging said lid, a second portion extending from said first mentioned portion engaging said box like structure, and third portion extending from said first mentioned portion in the general direction of said second portion; and a leverlike member having a fulcrum connection with said box-like structure, to normally move with said lid adapted for opening and closing movement relative to said lid about said fu1- Clillll connection having an end disposed on one side of said ulcl connection normally engag g said lid, and an end disposed on the opposite side of said fulcrum connection nornialiy said third spring portion, said lever-like in lid the then deenportion at a point 1 setween said fulcrum connec on and the lid-engageable end of said lever-ire i older, and to moved to a position energizing said s .ig, with said third poring position with said lever-like member at said end on the opposite side of said fulcrum connect on.

13. A journal box includi g an open box-like structure, an a lid for covering the opening, in combination with a spring having a portion normally exertin on said lid, a second portion normally exerting pressure on said box-like structure, and a third 1101' aily pressure-exert ing portion; and alever-lilre member adapted for energizing ti e s ring, having a fulcrum connection with said box-lilac structure, normally movable with said lid and adapted for independent movement reiative to said lid about said fulcrum connection, to open and normal closed positions, said member having an end disposed on one side of said fulcrum connection normally engaging lid, an opposi'e end disposed on the other side of said fulcrum connection, and said t rd spring portion engaging said member when in relative open position between said fulcrum connection and said normally lid-engaging end and movable relative to said member during spring energizing closing relative movement of said member to pressureexerting engagement with said member at said opposite end, whereby said member holds said spring energized and said member is yieldingly held in relative closed position by the pressure of said third spring portion.

JOHN L. MOHUN.

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